Bulldogs Look to Square Up <i>beyondblue</i> Cup

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The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Newcastle Knights play for the coveted NRL beyondblue Cup on Sunday, July 7.

It is the fourth time the teams have contested the Cup, and beyondblue is proud to partner with the Bulldogs for the match each year.

Last time, the Knights upset the Bulldogs 20-6 and gave themselves a 2-1 lead in the ledger.

That match built upon the growing rivalry between the clubs and has left the Bulldogs seeking revenge this time.

And while theres not much thats better than a Bulldogs victory, this game carries a message thats even more important than a win: that depression and anxiety can affect anyone, anywhere, at any time.

One in eight Australian men will experience depression in their lifetime while one in five will experience some type of anxiety disorder.

But men remain far less likely to seek help than women.

This is reflected in the shocking fact that of the roughly six suicides every day in Australia, five of them are male.

Far too many men still see mental illness as a weakness and something to be ashamed of, stopping them getting the treatment they need to improve their lives.

The truth is anxiety or depression can affect even the toughest people and taking charge of it may not be as hard as some think. In fact, people are often amazed at how much better they feel after getting the right treatment.

The beyondblue Cup is an opportunity to promote these vital messages and urge footballers at all levels of the game to keep an eye out for their team-mates.

By raising awareness about depression and anxiety, the lives of thousands of Australian can be improved.

So if you see a team-mate or friend who you think needs support, ask them if they are ok. Suggest they can find out the first steps to taking charge by calling the beyondblue info line on 1300 224 636 or visiting beyondblue-men.org.au. Both are 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

WIN A SIGNED BULLDOGS OR KNIGHTS JERSEY

Head to the beyondblue facebook page and 'like' it to go in to the running to win a signed Bulldogs or Knight 2013 football jersey - Competition opens 2.07.13